Made in Neighpon, Part Two
by MST3KFan79
Summary: Twilight Sparkle and her friends continue their adventure in the land of Neighpon, but now with the help of some other ponies, must stop a long forgotten prophecy from happening and an evil from spreading darkness over all of Equestria. Part 2 of 3.


My Little Pony

Friendship is Magic

Made in Neighpon, Part TWO

Neighpon, once a beautiful and largely unknown land to those outside of its mist-covered border, lies now mostly in ruins, the result of some visiting ponies from Ponyville. These same ponies now set up residence on the outskirts of the town in a nearby building having discovered a plot to prevent Neighpon from having anything to do with the rest of the world of Equestria. Yet, unknowing of the much bigger plot brewing in the wings.

"I cannot believe what you guys did," says Twilight Sparkle as she looks out towards Neighpon through a pair of binoculars atop the Sweet Tea Jamboree restaurant owned by Cinnamon Swirl on the outskirts of town overlooking everything. "You completely trashed the entire town! How on Equestria could you manage that all in one day?"

"It wasn't my fault!" says Rainbow Dash from below in the restaurant's main dining hall. "I was minding my own business when 'Little Miss Pop-It' over here decided to try and race me."

"What!" snaps back Firecracker in annoyance. "You challenged me to that race! And it's _Firecracker_, not 'Little Miss Pop-It'!"

"Well, you keep bragging about how you were the best flier in all of Neighpon!"

"At least I wasn't bragging about being the best flier in all of Equestria like some ponies!"

"I _am_ the best!"

"Guys!" says Twilight as she steps down the stairs to the rooftop. "It doesn't matter who started what, the fact of the matter is you both were at fault!"

"Um…I'm sorry, Twilight," speaks up Fluttershy as she walks up to the purple unicorn. "I know we are to blame as well for what happened. We didn't try to cause any damage, but those animals we were being chased by just weren't very nice."

"Y-Yeah, I'm actually m-more of a plant pony," says Mint Tulip as she tries to hide herself under her long curly pink mane.

"You are?" asks Fluttershy in surprise. "Then why did you offer to show me the animals of the forest if you weren't familiar with them?"

"I…didn't want to b-be rude and not at least try and be helpful," says Mint Tulip as she shrinks back from the yellow pegasus. "I'm sorry!"

"Ugh," groans Twilight, placing a hoof to her head before turning to Rarity and Velvet Breeze. "What about you two?"

"Ponies here simply are not ready for my ideas," says Rarity as she scoffs. "They simply behaved like…animals over one outfit I designed."

"It was something different, something new," says Velvet Breeze. "One pony bought the first dress Rarity designed and suddenly everypony wanted one, and well…"

"A pony can only do so much in a limited period of time."

"So you caused a riot over a dress?" asks Twilight in disbelief.

"Not a dress, Twilight, dear," says Rarity as shakes her head. "A masterpiece."

Twilight groans again, frustrated at what has unfolded in just the short time she and her friends have been there. She thinks on how Princess Celestia entrusted her with this mission and wonders if she perhaps knew something like this might happen. The princess always was an unpredictable pony when it came to things like this. Still, they were now in a jam and she knew they had to try to fix it somehow.

"Okay, maybe if we apologize really nicely they'll forgive us."

"Ah, Twilight, I don't think you want to try just yet," says Applejack as she her similar looking cousin Apricotta walk in from outside the restaurant. "Cousin Apricotta and I took a quick around town and there's somethin' from what we heard about finding the 'foreign threat' and dealing with 'em."

"That Yonaguni varmint has the whole town up in arms somehow wanting to hogtie us all and leave us hanging for the buzzards!" adds Apricotta. "Guards are all over looking around fer us."

"Okay, so we don't apologize for now," says Twilight, the stress mounting as she thinks about things a bit more. "Maybe if we offer to-"

"Twilight, ain't nothing gonna change this," says Applejack as she attempts to keep her friend from flipping out again. "Neighpon's trashed, we're on the town's 'Most Wanted' list, and we have no way of simply fixing it all like it weren't nothing! We need to sit back and think of a plan on what to do next."

"Well, why don't we settle in and have some delicious food while we plan?" asks Pinkie Pie as she suddenly pops up between Twilight and Applejack, surprising both of them. "We _are_ in a restaurant after all."

"Pinkie Pie, ah don't think this is the time ta-"

"There's always time to enjoy some good food!" says Cinnamon Swirl as she steps out of the kitchen adjacent to the dining hall. "I promised you a party to celebrate your coming to Neighpon, and while things are kind of going bad right now, I can at least still try to give you a proper welcome with some Neighpon style treats. I just love baking, and making, and…well, just having ponies leave feeling stuffed!"

"Oooo, oooooo!" says Pinkie Pie excitedly waving her hand at Cinnamon Swirl. "I'll help! I love planning out parties and making treats. I do it all the time back in Ponyville."

"Sure!" says Cinnamon Swirl with a nod. "I can always use another set of hoofs, though I generally use my horn, but you don't have one. Not to mention it's a bit odd if one of the ponies having the party planned for is helping, which makes it not so much a party for them, but-"

"You two just go on right ahead and get ta work," says Applejack as she and Apricotta begin shoving Pinkie Pie and Cinnamon Swirl back towards the kitchen. "Ah'm sure you'll both make something' really good."

"Okie dokie, you guys better be nice and hungry when we finish!" says Pinkie Pie as she pops her head back out of the kitchen again before Applejack shoves it right back in and the sounds of things getting moved around and crashing is heard shortly after.

Seconds later, Spike is thrown out of the kitchen with a loud thud and Cinnamon Swirl popping out to speak.

"Silly little dragon, you can have one of my homemade treats, but not till it's done then you can try one my great sweets," giggles Cinnamon Swirl.

"Aw, but I'm hungry now," groans Spike as he sits back up. "Couldn't I just have a quick snack? Any kind?"

"The more you wait, the more it'll be great, Spike," says Pinkie Pie with a giggle as she pops up alongside Cinnamon before the two ponies then zip back into the kitchen as the sounds of more clutter and mayhem go on, leaving a dejected Spike looking on sadly.

"I'm surprised how well she is taking things given how _some_ of us ended up trashing her hometown," says Twilight referring to Cinnamon Swirl as she glances back at Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity whom look away embarrassed.

"It's not just your friends fault," says Aurora Mist as she emerges from a doorway next to the kitchen that seems to be a bedroom, most likely where Cinnamon Swirl rests at night. "We all are to blame in some way for things. I for one, not having tried to do anything about Yonaguni earlier."

"Aurora," gasps Twilight as she looks at the royal pegasus to see she has ditched her royal kimono and resembles the other ponies now aside from her mane, which is still nicely done, tied to a unique style ponytail. "Your outfit…"

"Since Yonaguni has basically made the claim I am no longer worthy of retaining my title under the false pretenses he used, I have chosen to dress accordingly," says Aurora Mist as she looks herself over a bit.

"Oh, but your outfit was so absolutely stunning," says Rarity sadly. "It suited you so well."

"I agree," says Velvet Breeze with a confident smile. "After all, it was designed by me. Though in hindsight, given some of Rarity's input I could make it even better now."

"I do apologize, Velvet Breeze, but given the circumstances and with my being ousted by Yonaguni, it is probably better that I stand out a bit less then usual for now, " says Aurora as she then moves her wings around a bit curiously. "I have to admit though it does feel a bit…odd."

"You'll get used to it," says Twilight smiling.

"So, Twilight, ya think maybe we should contact Princess Celestia ta brief her on the situation here?" asks Applejack as she walks up to the purple unicorn.

"Oh, that would be a great idea," says Rainbow Dash rolling her eyes. "Let's tell her how we lost the gift she sent with us to give to the Emperor somehow, the whole town is out to get us, and basically we're stuck here until we somehow fix things."

"Part of it is your fault, Rainbow Dash," says Applejack annoyed.

"Yeah, yeah, sure just put all the blame on me and not Fluttershy or Rarity."

"Stop it guys!" says Twilight with a stamp of her hoof. "This constant bickering is getting us nowhere."

"Twilight is right," says Aurora with a nod. "We cannot bicker amongst each other as it only makes things worse. We need to focus on what to do to."

"Right, and while contacting Princess Celestia still might be a good idea I honestly feel we can still handle this."

"Say what?" asks Applejack surprised. "You think we can handle this whole situation just like that?"

"W-Well, it may take us some time to somehow get Princess Celestia's gift back, mend things with the locals, and somehow fix relations, but-"

"Ah'm sure you think we can do this all toot sweet, Twilight, but it'd sure help us maybe if the Princess was here to maybe fan the flames caused by our friends," says Applejack glaring at Rainbow Dash for a second before looking to her cousin and thinks on what has happened to her Aunt and Uncle. "Also, with what's been going on here even before we arrived… This might be a bit too much fer us to handle."

"No, we can handle this," says Twilight with a sudden boost of confidence. "We were able to deal with Nightmare Moon and everything else that was thrown our way back in Ponyville. We can handle this, too. I just want her to know we're working on it."

"Um, but wasn't Nightmare Moon actually something the Princess kind of expected us to be able to deal with as the Elements of Harmony?" asks Fluttershy, instantly killing Twilight's confidence.

"Wait," speaks Firecracker in surprise. "Nightmare Moon? Elements of Harmony? What are those supposed to be?"

"The ancient prophecy," says Aurora Mist in surprise. "Nightmare Moon was an ancient prophecy involving an evil pony that was once Princess Luna, twisted by her jealousy of her sister Princess Celestia, sealed within the moon over one thousand years ago, who would return during the 'longest day of the year', and only the Elements of Harmony could stop her."

"Seems you've done some research on things," says Twilight, impressed at Aurora's knowledge and equally lengthy explanation.

"Yes, when you're cooped up inside of a palace as long as I have you tend to end up reading a lot to pass time."

"Kind of like another pony we know," chuckles Applejack as she glances at Twilight Sparkle, whom looks away embarrassed.

"So Nightmare Moon and the Elements of Harmony were true," says Aurora Mist worried as she paces around. "I wonder then…if the other story I read is true."

"Other…story?" asks Twilight confused.

"We have a prophecy as well in Neighpon," says Aurora as she looks out a nearby window. "One that further fuels Yonaguni's flame against foreigners in fact."

"Another prophecy?" asks Twilight confused.

"Yes, it is said many, many years ago Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stopped a powerful _oni_, or as you call them, demon, named Tirak whom attempted to spread darkness upon the world, turning ponies into his army of minions from which he commanded atop his Chariot of Darkness. He was supposedly sealed away somewhere within the land of Neighpon and it was said when foreigners once again set foot in Neighpon, they would cause the destruction of Neighpon, and then the demon lord would be freed once again to spread his chaos across the world."

"Sounds a lot like Nightmare Moon," says Applejack concerned. "Ah wonder if they're related in some way."

"Except Nightmare Moon was Princess Luna transformed, not straight up some kind of demon," says Twilight sternly. "She let her jealousy turn her into that. What Aurora is talking about sounds much, much worse."

"Yeah, but foreigners have been here for a few years now, haven't they?" asks Rainbow Dash with a shrug. "Doesn't seem like any demons are responsible for what's going on, just some easily annoyed ponies because their property got damaged."

"I hope you are right and it is as simple as that, Rainbow Dash," says Aurora somberly. "It's just…since the first foreigners were allowed into Neighpon a few years ago…"

"Wait a second!" says Applejack a bit annoyed. "You're not saying ponies like my Aunt and Uncle are ta blame for all the bad things going on are ya?"

"Cousin Applejack, wait," says Apricotta, something clearly on her mind. "You need ta listen for a moment, we-"

"I won't have my family be blamed for something that weren't their fault! They came here because your Pa, the Emperor, invited ponies over as a test to see how things would work out after all them years of being isolated from the rest of Equestria."

"Applejack," chides Twilight at her friend's outburst. "That's uncalled for! We already have enough problems with the locals here as it is."

"We?" asks Applejack as she scoffs at her friend defending the Neighpon pegasus. "WE? We weren't the ones who outright decided the rest of the world weren't good enough for us. We weren't the ones who acted like outsiders was wrong and shouldn't be trusted!" We-"

"Cousin Applejack!" snaps Apricotta finally to silence the cowboy hat wearing pony. "Will ya just simmer down and let Aurora continue? There's more ta this then ya know."

Applejack looks at her cousin a bit taken back by her outburst. Here she is, defending the Neighpon ponies when she herself is a foreigner and even after the very same types of ponies took her parents she is defending.

"Ah…Ah'm sorry," says Applejack somberly. "It's just…Aunt and Uncle Apricot and the whole thing with that Yonaguni fella…"

"I understand your concern, Applejack," says Aurora Mist as she places a hoof on the Earth pony's shoulder gently. "What happened to your Aunt and Uncle is not something I intend to allow Yonaguni to get away with, I promise you that as princess to Neighpon, even if right now that title means nothing."

"Thank ya, Princess," says Applejack as she looks up at the pegasus. "I just hates when somepony messes with family."

"I know how you feel," says Aurora, obviously referring to her father. "And just call me Aurora; I have never cared for titles."

"So Aurora, if this prophecy of yours comes true, is there any way to stop this demon it speaks off?" asks Twilight, deeply interested in this story she has not heard of. "My knowledge of Neighpon, let alone its legends and prophecies, is very limited to what few books and ponies that have visited and the Princess' teachings have told me."

"Well, if I remember correctly according to legend, only something called the 'Rainbow of Light' can defeat Tirak once and for all. Yes, that was it! When the demon is at its most powerful, a 'Rainbow of Light' will appear to vanquish the darkness."

"Oh, so yet _another_ cryptic thing no one really knows about," says Rainbow Dash as she rolls her eyes. "Great, so we go all over looking for some kind of artifact and _then_ it maybe turns out to be us or something like last time, right?"

"Do you guys get into these situations often?" asks Firecracker towards Rainbow Dash.

"Nah, just the usual," says Rainbow Dash as she leans back confidently. "Dragons, hydras, parasprites, and so on…"

All Firecracker can do is look on at Rainbow Dash in disbelief. Once again, the rainbow colored pegasus is boasting to her about things. Things she has never experienced herself and makes her jealous, and at the same time envious.

"I wonder if this Rainbow of Light is like the Elements of Harmony," says Twilight curiously. "What if it is the Elements of Harmony, and Princess Celestia knew this and sent us to stop Tirak like how we stopped Nightmare Moon."

"Ya think that she would really do that again?" asks Applejack.

"I bet that is why she sent us now," says Twilight, her confidence rising again. "We're here to stop Tirak!"

"Uh… News flash, Twilight," says Rainbow Dash. "Do you see any signs of a demon lord anywhere for us to stop? I sure don't."

"The legend, Rainbow Dash. It speaks of when Neighpon is destroyed, then the demon lord Tirak will appear."

"Well, it's pretty destroyed," says Rainbow Dash with a groan.

"You again being one of the reasons why, Rainbow Dash," says Applejack annoyed.

"And I explained it wasn't my fault!"

"Guys, seriously enough," says Twilight, hoping to prevent another argument between friends. "We can't have you two constantly at each other throats the whole time we're here."

"Yeah, yeah," sighs Applejack. "Ah know, Twilight. Ah'm letting my worries get tha best of me."

"Then why not let those worries go away, and enjoy some delicious treats for today," says Cinnamon Swirl as she emerges from the kitchen, using her magic horn to carry several dishes full of interesting food and begins to place them on the tables around the dining hall.

"You guys are in for some real treats!" adds Pinkie Pie as she comes out of the kitchen now herself, balancing a number of dishes atop her body as she does. "The Neighpon ponies have a lot of yummy stuff that would rival stuff found in even Ponyville!"

The ponies all approach the tables and look over the many dishes prepared for them as Pinkie Pie helps to put the last of them on a table nearby. The Neighpon ponies seem familiar with many of the things before them, but Twilight, Spike, and their friends simply look on confused.

"Well, dig in ponies," says Cinnamon Swirl confidently. "I made enough for everyone!"

"Um, yeah so we can see," says Twilight with a nervous chuckle. "Um.. Forgive our unfamiliarity with many of these interesting looking treats, but could you maybe-"

"Explain what they all are?" asks Cinnamon Swirl excitedly. "We'd be glad to. Right, Pinkie Pie?"

"Right!" says Pinkie Pie equally excited.

"Oh, no, I think they're gonna sing," gasps Rainbow Dash in horror as Cinnamon Swirl starts to just that.

"Huh?" ask Firecracker, Aurora Mist, Mint Tulip, and Velvet Breeze in unison confused as the Ponyville brace for it.

"_When one comes to Neighpon, your trip is most likely very long. _

_You want to rest your hoofs, along with your caboose._

_So you want a place to stay and perhaps enjoy some hay._

_But WAIT!"_

Pinkie Pie then jumps in and sings the next verse.

"_This part is really great! _

_For as all of you will see, the many things prepared by Cinnamon and me!_

_Try the Melon-pan, as much as you can._

_For you see it's like a cookie covered melon flavored jamboree!"_

"_Hey that's the name of my store!"_

"_We'd best continue so as to not bore!"_

With a nod, Cinnamon Swirl then continues onto the next verse.

"_There's Mizuame, a water drop looking candy, it works really well when on the go, a treat very handy._

_Okonomiyaki is a pancake like dish, you can put on just about anything you wish._

_Natto are soybeans stringy like melted cheese, the might be smelly and slippery, but try some if you please."_

Pinkie Pie then jumps in again for the next verse.

_"Now Pocky is an interesting treat, it's dipped in basically in anything that is sweet._

_Taiyaki looks like a breaded fish, but in reality is a fruit filled pie like dish._

_Kakigori is shaved ice with your choice of syrup, it really is good when stirrup."_

Finally, both Cinnamon Swirl and Pinkie Pie sing together.

"_So many things to try, my how time sure does fly._

_Try one, try all, but please don't let your thoughts be your downfall._

_So you see, many foods may be different to you and me, but in the end it's all a new adventure, wouldn't you agree?_

_Neighpon to Ponyville, all of Equestria, all parts have their own culture and other things that are unique, give everything a chance though before giving critique._

_In the end you will find, we're all not so different, we're all entwined!"_

After that odd scene, all the ponies can do is look on at Cinnamon Swirl and Pinkie Pie dumbfounded, unsure of what to make of the song or anything Cinnamon Swirl and Pinkie Pie sang about.

"I have heard of music while you eat," speaks Aurora confused. "But that is by far one of the most random, out there things that I have ever seen."

"You get used to it when you hang around Pinkie Pie," says Twilight as she begins to look over the many foods placed out before them curiously.

"No kidding," says Rainbow Dash as she grabs a taiyaki, looking at the fish shaped treat cautiously before biting into it. "You guys have your own Pinkie Pie here with Cinnamon Swirl."

"That is something," says Spike, grabbing a taiyaki himself and chowing down. "They're a lot alike, just like you and Firecracker, Rainbow Dash."

"What!" gasps Rainbow Dash in shock as she nearly chokes on her food. "We are so not alike."

"No kidding," chimes in Firecracker, her face full of Pocky. "I'm nothing like her!"

"Could fool me," chuckles Applejack. "The way I sees it, you two are practically sisters the way ya argue."

"Says the pony with the near identical cousin pony," says Rainbow Dash in a mocking tone.

"Hey, family's family no matter what," says Applejack. "Just cause we both are similar in some way don't mean we ain't different in others."

"You tell her, Cousin Applejack," says Apricotta as she chomps down on a mizuame.

"Um, well… I think Mint Tulip and I are kind of like that, too," speaks up Fluttershy as she prepares a bowl of kakigori for herself, picking a flavor syrup to pour on it from the vast amounts laid out. "We met out in the forest and while in that short time we found out that we both care for animals, but we also have our uniqueness all our own."

"W-We do!" says Mint Tulip excitedly as she continues to keep her distance from the other ponies a bit and then ponders on things. "W-Wait, we do?"

"If I were to guess, I'd say she's a bit more scaredy-cat then you," says Rainbow Dash towards Fluttershy as she makes a simple gesture towards Mint Tulip that causes her to jump and hide under a table. "Seriously, I remember you being shy as can be, but her? She's like the most easily spooked pony I've ever seen."

"Be kind, Rainbow Dash,' says Twilight in a scolding tone.

"Well, Velvet Breeze and I are alike and yet different in our own way as well," speaks up Rarity with a smile. "We both love fashion dearly, but we see it in different ways from one another."

"Given our cultures and what we consider fashion it's not much of a surprise," adds Velvet Breeze. "Before your arrival I never really thought of using jewels in such decorative ways as you do for dresses. Most of the time ponies were satisfied with dresses with patterns or designs, but adding jewels changed things up quite a bit. Of course, after what happened with that first kimono you designed and my shop…"

"Yes, yes, I do apologize for that," says Rarity with a wave of her hoof. "Still, it certainly spiced things up in Neighpon did it not?"

"If by you mean causing riots and ponies trashing the streets just to have more of those kinds of kimono dresses, then yes," says Velvet as she thinks on things. "I wonder what would happen if we had a huge fashion show full outfits designed like that first one you worked on."

"I guess we would be the two ponies similar to each to finish off the group then," says Twilight Sparkle towards Aurora Mist, surprising her a little.

"You think so?"

"Well, sure," says Twilight as she thinks on it. "We've both spend a good amount of our lives in a palace or castle of some sort; we both do a lot of reading…"

"I…never thought of it that way," says Aurora as she ponders this revelation. "Still, I envy you for having been able to be out in the world more than I have."

"Okay, this is getting creepy," speaks up Spike looking at all his friends and their Neighpon counterparts. "How is this even possible that there are SIX ponies almost exactly like you guys all the way on the other side of Equestria?"

"Aw, jealous you don't have a little baby dragon like you, Spike?" asks Rainbow Dash in a teasing manner.

"N-No, I'm just wondering how it's even possible."

"It is a bit unusual," says Twilight as she ponders it herself. "It's certainly not implausible that similar ponies could exist somewhere in Equestria from one another. I mean it really could be just coincidence."

"Yes, but doesn't it seem a bit too hard to be all coincidence?" asks Rarity. "I mean, us finding ponies in Neighpon similar to us? It's not as if I'm complaining mind you. It's actually great to find ponies that share similar interests and hobbies in an unfamiliar, yet beautiful land such as this."

"I can't really say," says Twilight, her mind working away on the legend of Tirak, the 'Rainbow of Light', and all the strange connections. "

"Well worry about it later then," says Cinnamon Swirl finally, motioning for the ponies to really dig in. "Enough of the yakkity-smackity flapping of the gums and time to eat some yums before it all spoils."

"Yeah, come on you guys," says Pinkie Pie as she dives her head into an okonomiyaki, devouring it in seconds. "Why worry right now when we have all this great stuff to eat?"

"I guess it would be good to eat as much as we can right now," says Twilight with a sigh as she places her focus back on the food on the tables. "Who knows when we'll get our next meal…"

With that, the ponies really start to dig in and try all the Neighpon treats prepared for them.

Hours later, the sun has set upon Equestria and the ponies all lay about the floor and tables of the Sweet Tea Jamboree, thoroughly filled with food.

"Oh… No more yummy in my tummy, the Pinkie Pie is done," sighs Pinkie Pie as she collapses from a table.

"It was all so good," says Fluttershy a she sits up briefly before lying back down. "Maybe a bit _too_ good…"

"That was so unbecoming of me to splurge like that," says Rarity with a sigh. "A lady must have greater self-control."

"Ah don't think ah could eat another bite if my life depended on it," groans Applejack.

"Oh, man, neither can I" says Rainbow Dash as she stands up. "I think I'll go fly around the town for a bit to burn some that food off."

"Rainbow Dash, you can't," objects Twilight. "Yonaguni has everyone looking for us in town, if they see you-"

"Relax, Twilight," says Rainbow Dash confidently. "It's night out so they won't be able to see me."

"But…"

"Hey, I'll come too," says Firecracker as she approaches the blue pegasus. "After all, we still haven't settled things."

"What? You guys are still thinking on your trying to best each other?" asks Twilight shocked. "We don't have time to-"

"You're on," says Rainbow Dash with a smile.

"Wait," speaks up Aurora Mist, surprising the two rival pegasus as she approaches. "I would like to ask of you both a favor."

Rainbow Dash and Firecracker glance at each other and then back at Aurora Mist confused as to what she might ask of them before she leads them outside the restaurant and into the night sky, leaving Twilight Sparkle looking on with interest.

"What could she want with them?" asks Twilight as she looks over at Spike as if expecting an answer and only seeing the baby dragon passed out with hefty tummy and food leftovers all around him.

Rainbow Dash and Firecracker look out into town, though most of town is still visibly trashed, somehow faint light emerges from windows across the landscape suggesting ponies are still trying to at least deal with the current situation and go about their lives. Aurora Mist then walks up behind them to look downward as well.

The Sweet Tea Jamboree is situated in such a way that the town appears to be quite a distance below with the palace overlooking it all quite breathtakingly. Aurora looks upon it and feels a mix of emotions at what she sees before she is interrupted.

"Okay, so what'd you want us to do for you?" asks Rainbow Dash as she turns to Aurora.

"Yeah, we have a race to finish while we can," adds Firecracker as she turns as well.

"I…I wish to fly," says Aurora in a meek tone.

"What!" ask both Rainbow Dash and Firecracker in shock.

"Please teach me to fly," says Aurora Mist, now looking at the two pegasus before her determined. "I know I am asking a lot, but…"

"You're kidding, right?" asks Rainbow Dash surprised.

"No, with things as they are, I need to stop hiding behind my inexperience and work to better myself, not just as a princess to Neighpon, but as a pegasus pony as well. I have to at least try to do this."

Rainbow Dash and Firecracker each offer each other nervous glances for a moment then turn their attention back to Aurora.

"Well, I'm not really great at teaching," says Rainbow Dash as she rubs the back of her head. "This is more Twilight's thing. "

"Twilight is not a pegasus though."

"She isn't, is she? Well, I mean, flying… What is there to really say other then to 'let yourself go'? You just have to be willing to make a kind of leap of faith and just start flapping, you know?"

"No…"

"W-Well, you will if you try," says Rainbow Dash as she notices Firecracker gesturing that she is going to take off. "Anyway, just use those teachings and you'll be flying in no time! Gotta go!"

"Rainbow Dash, wait!" yells out Aurora as Rainbow Dash and Firecracker then quickly take off into the night sky leaving Aurora to ponder things. "A leap of faith?"

With that, Aurora re-enters the Sweet Tea Jamboree restaurant and closes the door behind her.

"Did you mean any of that stuff you told her?" asks Firecracker curiously, as she flies alongside Rainbow Dash.

"Not really," replies Rainbow Dash. "I have a hard enough time trying to help a filly that hangs around me back home learn how to fly. Teaching a full grown pony though…"

"Do you teach this filly while boasting how you're the best flier in all of Equestria?"

"Oh, you know it," says Rainbow Dash proudly. "The kid idolizes me."

"Oh, really?" asks Firecracker annoyed at the blue pegasus again boasting. "Will they idolize you once they find out you lost to a Neighpon pony?"

"I don't plan to!"

The two pegasus then catch yet another burst of speed and are gone, heading back down into the night-lit sky, unaware a lone ninja pony has seen them and then turns its attention off towards the Sweet Tea Jamboree.

As Aurora Mist re-enters the Sweet Tea Jamboree, she sees Twilight and the only Ponyville ponies now discussing things at a table off in the corner and approaches.

"Oh, Aurora, did already finish talking to Rainbow Dash and Firecracker about what you needed from them?" asks Twilight curiously.

"Y-Yes," says Aurora Mist as she sighs. "It was…not what I was hoping for though."

The Ponyville ponies all look at her confused briefly, unsure of what she needed from the other pegasus, but then brush it off as they again turn to a plan drawn out by Twilight on a piece of paper.

"Okay," says Twilight, pointing at the drawing of Neighpon Palace. "Somehow we need to get back into the palace."

"Get back in?" gasp Applejack in shock. "Twilight, we just barely got outta there!"

"I know, Applejack, but the gift Princess Celestia gave us to offer to the Emperor was stolen at some point while we were in there, and we have to find it."

"Now, what would we need that thing fer?" asks Applejack confused. "It's kinda useless ta us now when we're basically hated by the whole town!"

"I don't know for sure, but I believe it must hold some major importance if someone took the effort to steal it from us. Also, we need it to leave Neighpon given the thick mist that surrounds the land."

"That's right, it _did_ help us to clear the mist when we first arrived," speaks up Fluttershy.

"Indeed," adds Rarity. "It shot out some kind of light that opened the way."

"Exactly," says Twilight proudly. "Hey, it could maybe even be the 'Rainbow of Light' Aurora spoke of from that legend."

"Ya think the Princess would have this 'Rainbow of Light' handy and sent it with us just like that?" asks Applejack confused.

"I wouldn't doubt it after things before with Nightmare Moon," says Twilight with a nod before turning her attention to Aurora. "Aurora, could you get hold of your resistance group to maybe help in this plan?"

"Huh?" asks Aurora surprised at the request. "The resistance?"

"Yes, I think if they were maybe to create distractions around town that perhaps most of the guards patrolling around the area as well as those at the palace would respond, giving us a much easier chance to infiltrate the palace and search for Princess Celestia's gift in the meantime.

"Um…yeah," says Aurora nervously as Apricotta walks up next to her. "The truth is…"

"Tha resistance is just us two," says Apricotta somberly as she points between her and the former pegasus princess.

"What?" asks Twilight and the other Ponyville ponies surprised.

"We had just started it recently before you arrived I'm afraid," says Aurora as she bows apologetically. "I had hoped perhaps to have gathered more ponies against Yonaguni's obvious taking over of Neighpon before things escalated to what they did, but…"

"Well, that kind of puts a damper on that plan," says Twilight with a sigh as she glances back down at the plans along with the others.

Aurora looks on briefly before walking away, towards where Cinnamon Swirl and Mint Tulip sit looking at things. Apricotta soon follows.

"I feel so useless," says Aurora as she sits next to the table. "Twilight and her friends came here as part of a peaceful excursion and to better Neighpon's relations with the rest of Equestria and yet, due to my unwillingness to do something to stop all this earlier, it's all fallen apart. Yonaguni has closed off Neighpon, made me out to be crazy to everypony, and all foreign ponies are now being hunted down. All because of my reluctance."

"Ya couldn't have known this would have happened, Aurora," says Apricotta, trying to console the light blue pegasus. "None of could have."

"No, I did! I knew something about Yonaguni was wrong. He showed up shortly after the first groups of ponies including your family were allowed into Neighpon a few years ago. It was too convenient that he showed up offering his services to my father and then…"

"Y-Your father didn't see this l-like you did?" asks Mint Tulip, still nervous to be around other ponies, but trying to stay close.

"If he did, Yonaguni got to him before he could do anything. Yonaguni is not… He's not an ordinary pony."

"Having a ninja pony army that does his bidding shows that there's a given," says Apricotta angered as she thinks again on what happened to her parents.

"You know, maybe Yonaguni just is really, really afraid of change," says Cinnamon Swirl, surprising the other Neighpon ponies with her words. "Ponies fear what they don't understand. The foreign ponies are different. They have different ways of doing things then us, they have different likes and dislikes and hobbies, and on, and on, and on… I know many ponies new to Neighpon that have stopped at my restaurant were a bit scared of trying some of what I prepared for them, but once they tried it, they found out that they actually liked it!"

"That's all well and good, Cinnamon Swirl," starts Apricotta as she looks over at her cousin behind her. "But ah don't think this is the same thing. Ah mean, I'll admit that when ah first tried some of the food here myself upon first arriving to Neighpon, I was skeptical of how it'd be myself, but in the end ah did like it… That Yonaguni fella is going _way_ beyond what a pony fearing change should."

"One thing is for sure," says Aurora sternly. "As Twilight said, we have to get that gift they were to give my father from Princess Celestia back."

"Ya figure it might be what Twilight said it was?"

"I don't know for sure, but I do recall when the first foreign ponies as well as subsequent ones after, including your family, were let in. Each time, Princess Celestia had used something to clear the mist surrounding Neighpon to allow you in."

"Ah remember that. Some kind of bright beam of light cut right through the mist."

"Yes, and Fluttershy just said that the gift they brought for my father cleared the mist for them to get in much in the same way."

"So they must be connected," says Apricotta as she thinks on it. "It probably is the same thing."

"And if Yonaguni had it taken from Twilight and her friends, it obviously holds some importance. So we have to somehow get it back from wherever Yonaguni has had it put."

"Right," says Apricotta confidently. "We'll trample that varmint till he breaks and tells us!"

"B-But wouldn't we just get in the way of the other ponies?" asks Mint Tulip. "T-They seem to have had experience with these sorts of things before unlike us."

"I have spend most of my life in the palace, Mint," says Aurora as she looks towards the scared sea green pony, causing her to creep back a little. "My life has consisted of unimportant appointments and brief appearances here and there to show the Neighpon ponies I basically exist. I want more then that, I want to do more for my homeland. I want to change things for the better, not what Yonaguni sees as such."

"That's right," says Apricotta in agreement. "Besides, we can't let my cousin and all her friends be the only ponies here trying to make things good again around here."

"B-But…"

"Minty, ya don't want to be scared of things outside the forest for the rest of your life, do ya?" asks Apricotta as Mint Tulip thinks on things. "Ah doubt you do… Otherwise, would ya have even talked ta Fluttershy? How about the rest of us even?"

"N-No… I-I mean, y-yes… I mean…"

"Mint, though we've only known each other a short time, I feel your have great strength inside you," says Aurora, surprising the easily scared pony. "Perhaps even more then I do. You just have to find a way to express it, to let yourself no longer be afraid. …That is something I feel I must do."

"-A-Aurora…"

"Oh, hey," says Cinnamon Swirl suddenly and very excitedly as she looks out a front window. "Look everyone, we have some customers!"

All the ponies look up in horror as they quickly move to the windows to look outside themselves. They are then greeted by a huge mob of Neighpon ponies holding up torches, pitchforks, and other various tools looking back.

"I wonder if I can fit them all in the restaurant at the same time," ponders Cinnamon Swirl as the other ponies turn to her in disbelief.

High above Neighpon night sky, Rainbow Dash and Firecracker continue trying to best each other in flying, unaware of what is happening back at the Sweet Tea Jamboree. Firecracker flies along some clouds as Rainbow Dash continues to go straight, occasionally looking at her rival to see where she's at.

"You know, if you weren't acting all jealous about my talents this would go a lot quicker," says Rainbow Dash as she dodges around a cloud.

"It's not jealousy, it's fact," says Firecracker as she flies up near the blue pegasus. "You're not the best flier in all Equestria. You don't deserve to say that unless you've actually competed against _all_ the other pegasus fliers _in_ Equestria."

"Well, I say bring them all on then," says Rainbow Dash as she flies ahead to punch a hole through a cloud. "Maybe I should just go all over Equestria and face off against everypony to prove I'm the best. Then, maybe I can finally join the Wonderbolts afterwards."

"The Wonder-what?"

"Wonderbolts," says Rainbow Dash annoyed as though she was insulted. "They're only some of the best pegasus pony fliers out there that perform all kinds of amazing aerial acrobatics and demonstrations around Equestria. It's my dream to join up with them. Seriously, don't you have anything like that around here?"

"No, the pegasus of Neighpon focus more on doing things to benefit our community rather then focus on 'hero' worship."

"Hero worship!" gasps Rainbow Dash in surprise as she screeches to a halt, causing Firecracker to stop as well. "I'll have you know back in Ponyville I do a lot of things to help out as well. I can clear the sky of clouds in ten seconds flat no problem!"

"And yet you boast some more," says Firecracker unimpressed.

"Aaaaauuuuuugggggghhhhhh!" screams Rainbow Dash in frustration. "Why do you think I'm constantly boasting?"

"Aren't you? You speak of being the best flier in all of Equestria because you won a competition back in your hometown. You claim to be able to accomplish all kinds of feats as though it were nothing. You dream of joining a group of ponies that do nothing that contributes to the community other then cheap entertainment…"

"The Wonderbolts are not 'cheap entertainment'," snarls Rainbow Dash as she gets right up to Firecracker's face. "They're the best-"

"I thought you said _you_ were the best."

"I… I am!" says Rainbow Dash in a flustered tone. "It's just…just… You know what; I don't have to defend myself to you! You started things when we first met! I mean, you were all saying 'I'm the best flier in all of Neighpon' to me and stuff."

"I am," says Firecracker as she motions out around the darkened land below them. "This is Neighpon, and I am a pegasus that lives in Neighpon. I have proven time and time again to other pegasus in Neighpon to be the better flier. Not in all of Equestria, just Neighpon. I know though that there is always someone better out there in Equestria, but here in Neighpon, I have yet to have been proven wrong on my claim."

Unsure of how to respond, Rainbow Dash ponders on things for a moment. It's true she won the Best Young Flyer's Competition back in her hometown of Cloudsdale and because of her performance using the Sonic Rainboom she became well known across much of Equestria, but here she was in a part of the world that wasn't like where she is from. A totally different place where no pony was familiar with her or her feats. Here she was with a pegasus that unlike her does not try to impress beyond what she has truly done.

Rainbow Dash knew in the back of her mind, before she actually did what she had at the Best Young Flyer Competition, that while she brags about things now to others, in reality she was absolutely terrified about screwing up. She had done a Sonic Rainboom before, but the chances of her doing it again seemed slim. It absolutely terrified her that she would fail in front of all of Cloudsdale, her friends, even Princess Celestia.

However, when her friend Rarity and the Wonderbolts' lives were in danger, she was able to finally cast off her fears to save them. Yet, she acted as if it was nothing from then on outside of her circle of friends. After all, it was kind of her right to brag about it since no pony had ever done it aside from her before and still have yet to do so. It was her claim to fame along with a lot of her other moves around her other place of living, Ponyville.

Still, what would happen though if another pegasus performed a Sonic Rainboom like her? Would ponies care about her as much for the move anymore? Would she become considered a has been? She recalled Firecracker showed off a move of her own that was similar to the Sonic Rainboom. The 'Firecracker Burst', is what she called it. It was similar, but not the same obviously. Just as Firecracker was to Rainbow Dash herself. Similar, but not the same.

"Do you brag about stuff as much as you do to me to your friends out of curiosity?" speaks up Firecracker again. "Do you rub things in their face ever?"

"They're my friends, why would I do that to them?"

"Then why do it to other ponies you meet?"

"Why not?" snaps Rainbow Dash. "When I first met you, you showed off to me!"

"I did, I know," says Firecracker with a sigh. "A fault of mine is I tend to have a bit too much confidence in myself as I know I can do a lot of things many can't do or at least won't show. You, on the other hand were more than willing to try and prove to be somewhat of a challenge."

"At least you seem to be picking up on that now," says Rainbow Dash with a huff.

"It still does not forgive the fact that you feel you are the best. At some point, you may be proven wrong."

"Sure, sure," says Rainbow Dash with a wave of her hoof. "So you wanna keep trying to beat me or not?"

"Honestly, right now I think it'd be best if we got back to the others, don't you?" asks Firecracker as she floats back towards the Sweet Tea Jamboree. "It is getting quite late now and I'm sure you guys have some things to do after what happened at the palace earlier, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess, but I still want to race you again when this whole thing blows over."

The two pegasus then fly back off towards the Sweet Tea Jamboree at full speed, as to what they'll find when they arrive…

A lone male pony steps out from the mob gathered outside the Sweet Tea Jamboree and yells out towards Twilight and her friends hiding inside.

"We know you're in their outsiders! Come out or we come in after you!"

"What do we do, Twilight?" asks Fluttershy worried.

"Ah don't think they is up for talking," says Applejack as she looks out a bit. "After everything that's happened to their town and all…"

"We have to at least try," says Twilight as she clears her throat and heads for the door.

"And if that fails?" asks Applejack, causing Twilight to think briefly and turn to her friends and then to the Neighpon ponies outside.

"Run like you've never run before."

With that, Twilight steps out of the restaurant doorway and faces the mob.

"There's one of those foreign ponies!" yells out one of the Neighpon ponies.

"The prophecy is going to come true because of you ponies!" yells out another.

"You destroyed our town and our palace! Now we're all doomed!"

"It's all your fault!"

"Please, everypony, listen," pleads Twilight. "We can explain…"

"What's there to explain!" yells out a pony. "You tried to do our Emperor harm and destroy our village and bring the darkness upon us!"

"Yonaguni says you must all be taken and made to pay for your crimes!" yells out yet another.

"Yonaguni has lied to you!" yells back Aurora Mist as she runs up next to Twilight from inside the restaurant, surprising both her and the mob. "The foreigners are not entirely to blame for what is going on!"

"It's Princess Aurora," gasps a Neighpon pony from the mob.

"What's she doing with the foreigners?"

"Yonaguni said she was not of right mind…"

"Yonaguni has done something to my father, he has done something to all of Neighpon," speaks out Aurora to the mob. "While it may be true some foreigners in their haste, accidentally damaged our town, they are largely innocent of much of what Yonaguni has said. Please, you have to believe me."

The mob looks around at each other and murmurs amongst themselves, unsure of what to make of Aurora's words before a voice from within the crowd breaks this up.

"A splendid little speech, Lady Aurora," says Yonaguni as he steps out from within the crowd, several guards following. "However, I'm afraid that your little rebellion is at an end."

"Yonaguni! You…"

"Ponies of Neighpon," speaks Yonaguni as he turns to the crowd. "As you see for yourself now, our fair princess…Aurora Mist has become so detached from the rest of Neighpon, she would rather join with the foreign ponies. She would rather they come and do further damage to our land, our town!"

"Wh-what!" gasps Aurora in disbelief. "No, please, don't listen to Yonaguni! Everypony, please!"

The Neighpon pony mob looks at Yonaguni, and then at Aurora and they grow angry again.

"The princess has been corrupted by the foreigners!"

"She can join them in punishment then!"

The mob begins to approach Twilight and Aurora as Yonaguni looks on with a smug grin. The two ponies, no options left at this point, run back into the Sweet Tea Jamboree, slamming the door shut.

"We're sittin' ducks in this place if we stay here, Twilight!" yells out Applejack as the mob advances.

"Cinnamon, is there a way out the back?" asks Twilight as a torch comes crashing through a nearby window and lightly the floor where it landed on fire.

"A secret exit actually!" says Cinnamon Swirl surprisingly still cheerful despite her restaurant being lit on fire. "Come on!"

The ponies all follow Cinnamon, Spike hitching a ride on Twilight, as they go into her bedroom next to the dining hall as more torches are thrown into the building and lighting even more of the restaurant on fire. Cinnamon Swirl then runs to her bed, pulling one of the bed frame's decorative orbs and causing it to move slowly out of the way with a loud groan and revealing a hidden basement door.

"Hurry and open it!" says Rarity in horror as she looks back at the spreading fire. "All this smoke is going to damage my mane!"

Applejack and Apricotta work together to pull open the door and a flight of stairs leads downward and the ponies each in turn move quickly down just as the fire begins to spread inside of the bedroom.

"Oh, Cinnamon," says Twilight as she approaches the light brown unicorn. "Your restaurant… I'm so sorry."

"Places can be rebuilt," says Cinnamon Swirl as she continues on seemingly unconcerned. "Ponies however cannot."

Rainbow Dash and Firecracker gasp in horror as they look down from high above Neighpon still, before them where the Sweet Tea Jamboree once stood, now replaced by large flames shooting up into the air. A large crowd of ponies standing nearby watching things.

"The restaurant," says Rainbow Dash in disbelief. "My friends…"

"Do not loose hope yet, Rainbow Dash," says Firecracker. "They may have escaped before this happened."

"I…I hope so," says Rainbow Dash as she then slowly descends towards the scene.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to be sure, that's all."

"We might get caught you know," says Firecracker as she follows Rainbow Dash.

"A risk I'm willing to take for my friends."

"So you do have some nobility in you," says Firecracker with a chuckle.

The two pegasus then hover down and quickly hide behind a nearby tree and watch the mob as the flames engulfing what was once the Sweet Tea Jamboree restaurant finally begins to dissipate. Yonaguni then steps forward to look around.

"It's that jerk pony from the palace Twilight mentioned," growls Rainbow Dash in anger.

"Prime Minister Yonaguni," says Firecracker, equally annoyed. "Yeah, jerk is the nicest thing you can call him."

"Where are they?" asks Yonaguni annoyed as the guards enter the ruins and search.

"Sir, there's a secret entrance over here!" yells out one of the guards, finding the basement exit in what used to Cinnamon Swirl's bedroom.

"What!"

"Way to go guys," says Rainbow Dash with relief.

"I want them all found," says Yonaguni as he motions to the exit. "All of them, including the princess. If you fail to find them, don't bother coming back to the palace. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" say the guards before they all descend into the basement depths.

The mob slowly then begins to disperse as Yonaguni exit's the ruins and then looks on at town in the distance. Rainbow Dash and Firecracker continue to watch from behind the tree.

"We have to help the others," says Rainbow Dash as she is about to take off when Firecracker stops her to motion towards Yonaguni.

Yonaguni's eyes suddenly begin to glow red and he laughs to himself, startling the two pegasus.

"So much hate… So much anguish… I can feel my powers growing stronger with each passing second of anger the Neighpon ponies have for those pathetic 'agents of Princess Celestia'…"

"What the hay?" gasps Rainbow Dash in shock. "So this all really _was_ a set-up?"

"And Aurora's feeling of Yonaguni not being a normal pony, too," adds Firecracker.

Rainbow Dash and Firecracker then notice Yonaguni begin to hover and suddenly become enveloped in a black mist and vanish off back towards the palace, them ducking back behind the tree one more time just to be on the safe side.

"Great, now I really know we need to get to the others!" says Rainbow Dash as she takes off into the ruins of the Sweet Tea Jamboree and down into the basement exit.

"Wait, Rainbow Dash!" yells out Firecracker as she follows.

What started as a narrow escape path down from Cinnamon Swirl's restaurant and away from the threat above, soon turns into a vast cavern with a steady underground river flowing through it. Many beautiful gems decorate the walls as well, illuminating things for the ponies. Spike looks on from atop Twilight's back and drools at the sight of the jewels as everyone walks further into the expansive cavern.

"So, Cinnamon Swirl," says Twilight, as she looks around concerned. "Where is the exit out of this place?"

"It's somewhere ahead," replies the unicorn cheerfully. "Normally I don't use this way out when I come down here."

"What exactly do you do down here?" asks Rarity curiously. "With all these jewels, you could make yourself quite comfortable."

"I'll say," chimes in Spike, still drooling over the sight.

"Jewels?" asks Cinnamon Swirl confused. "Oh, no, no, no… I come down here to find shiitake."

All the ponies look at each other puzzled; they remember Cinnamon speaking of this back at the palace, but to hear it again. They wonder if they should even ask when finally…

"Ah, Cinnamon," says Twilight. "What exactly is a…shiitake?"

"Mushrooms!" says Cinnamon Swirl as she points to the ground where a number of mushrooms growing along one of the cave walls' bottoms. "I can use them for quite a lot of different dishes that aren't treats, but they're really hard to find outside of caves around here."

"O-Oh!" says Twilight with relief as the other ponies let out their own feelings on this. "Mushrooms, right. What a relief."

"What do you mean? What'd you think I was talking about?"

"N-Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Guys!" yells out a voice behind the ponies, whom then turn to see Rainbow Dash approaching them at top speed before screeching to a halt right next to them.

"Rainbow Dash!" exclaims Twilight excitedly. "You're okay!"

"Yeah, yeah, listen you guys, there's something you should know."

"Not now, Rainbow," says Twilight as she continues on with the others. "We need to get out of this cave first."

"No, it's really important! Something that can't wait!" says Rainbow Dash irritated as Firecracker comes flying up as well to the group, looking around for something. "You have to listen as we passed by a whole bunch of guards to tell you about Yonaguni, he-"

"Wait," speaks up Twilight in surprise. "Did you say 'guards'?"

A quick 'Ahem' from behind the ponies causes them to turn their attention to see a large contingency of guards standing before them. They offer awkward smiles to the guards then followed by a brief moment of silence…

"RUN!" yells out Twilight as the ponies do just that and move, the guards quickly following.

The cave's expansive area made it quite daunting for the ponies to escape, the sounds of the guards thundering hoofs echoing all around them.

"We have to loose them," says Twilight.

"How?" asks Applejack. "This here cave doesn't exactly seem ta end!"

"Follow the river," says Twilight, motioning to the others. "It has to lead out somewhere."

The ponies do as told and follow the river around a bit and then turn a corner to find there is indeed an exit to the cave, but it is right down a waterfall.

"Oh, yeah, this is the exit I spoke of," says Cinnamon Swirl gleefully. "I should use it more often as it's the _fun _way out of the caves."

"Fun!" gasps Rarity alarmed as equally as the rest of the ponies. "This is fun?"

However, the sounds of the guards getting closer leaves them not many options to chose from. Twilight looks down the rushing water flowing downward and below into the darkness of the night. She then steps back and looks at the others.

"We either let ourselves get caught…or jump."

"Are you mad?" asks Rarity annoyed. "Jump off a waterfall? Do you have any idea what this might do to my beautiful mane?"

"I agree," speaks up Velvet Breeze. "As much as I love a good dip now and then, this is not the kind I would think of doing!"

"Well, you can take yer chances with the guards," says Applejack as she steps back. "Ah'm gonna take my chances elsewhere!"

Applejack then runs and leaps off, down into the darkness as the others look on for a moment and then Apricotta steps back as well.

"Ah ain't come this far to stop now!"

Apricotta then jumps down as well disappearing from everyone's view.

Pinkie Pie and Cinnamon Swirl then step up and jump off with a loud "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" as they fall.

"No, no, no!" says Rarity as she attempts to step back from the waterfall alongside Velvet Breeze. "I refuse to do this!"

"Nor do I," agrees Velvet Breeze. "I'll accept the consequences over this."

"Agreed. Twilight, darling, it's been fun, but I-"

Rarity and Velvet Breeze are suddenly pushed off the ledge by Rainbow Dash and Firecracker whom look on pleased with themselves.

"Rainbow Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaash!"

"It was just too good to pass up," says Rainbow Dash to Twilight who looks at her in disbelief at what the two pegasus just did before they take off down after the rest of the ponies.

Fluttershy is about to use her wings to fly down, but sees Mint Tulip cowering as she looks down from the waterfall and then walks over to her.

"Do you want me to drop with you?"

"I-I'm scared, Fluttershy," says Mint Tulip as she cowers back. "I've never done something like this before."

"Neither have I," says Fluttershy in an assuring tone. "However, if it makes you feel any better, I'm scared, too."

"Y-You are?"

"Oh, yes, but I'll go with you if it makes you feel better."

"Th-Thank you…" says Mint Tulip as she slowly walks up to the yellow pegasus and then two look down for a second, close their eyes and jump down.

"Okay, it's just us now," says Twilight to Aurora and Spike.

"T-Twilight, are you sure we'll be okay?" asks Spike nervously.

"No, but hopefully everyone is alright," says Twilight as she turns to Aurora. "See you at the bottom."

With that, Twilight leaps off, Spike clutching to her neck for dear life and then they are gone. Aurora looks down for a moment, and then fixes her gaze upon the darkened horizon. She spreads her wings out and talks to herself.

"Take a leap of faith… Let myself go…"

Aurora steps back a bit from the waterfall edge and closes her eyes as she spreads her wings. As she does this, the guards catch up to see her and come to a halt.

"Princess Aurora, stop at once!" yells one as she then starts to run to the edge.

With a powerful leap, Aurora jumps over the ledge. Everything seems to move in slow motion as she starts to move her wings, flapping repeatedly. She opens her eyes to see herself briefly hovering over things, a look of joy crossing her face. Things quickly change though when she suddenly notices she is descending…fast.

"N-No!" she screams out. "No, no, no! Please! Nooooooooooo!"

Aurora then plummets down into the darkness, the guards standing by the waterfall ledge now looking down where the ponies jumped unsure on whether to follow them down into the unknown or not.

Darkness surrounds Aurora Mist, the sound of rushing water loudly roaring nearby, the feeling of wet ground underneath her. A voice then calls out.

"Princess! Hey, Princess! Wake up!"

Aurora slowly opens her eyes and finds Firecracker hovering over her.

"Good, you're okay," says Firecracker as she gives off a sigh of relief. "I know we never really talked earlier, but I'm Firecracker."

"Firecracker," repeats Aurora as she stands up on weak legs. "Yes, I have heard of you. You're one of our best flyers in Equestria."

"No, just Neighpon," corrects Firecracker. "Look, we have to move now."

"What of Twilight and the others?"

"She and all of her friends somehow got swept further down from the waterfall than the rest of us," says Firecracker as she motions to the group behind her consisting of all the Neighpon ponies and Spike. "The little dragon friend of theirs though is still with us."

"Oh, no," gasps Aurora as she walks over to the others with Firecracker floating behind. "We have to find them!"

"How? This river looks like it's ridiculously long.," says Firecracker. "There's no telling where they might have ended up."

"They couldn't have gotten far. Twilight and her friends seem to be the resourceful sort."

"Th-They are!" says Spike excitedly before becoming worried. "I mean…usually."

"We will find them, Spike," says Aurora as she consoles the obviously worried baby dragon.

"So what are we waiting for?" asks Cinnamon Swirl as she starts down an old dirt trail nearby. "Let's go find those ponies!"

The other Neighpon ponies exchange briefly glances before they then follow along, Aurora allowing Spike to hop on her back to ride along.

"Ah wonder," says Apricotta thinking on things. "Twilight said my cousin and her friends were the ones to defeat that Nightmare Moon gal some time ago…"

"Yes, Rarity spoke it of this while were at my shop as well," says Velvet Breeze. "The Elements of Harmony were what they used to defeat her."

"Yeah, except that they was the Elements themselves."

"I-It all sounds so amazing," says Mint Tulip as she continues to keep her distance a bit from the other ponies. "I c-could never d-do something as amazing as they d-did..."

"Don't say that," says Aurora towards the scared pony. "I'm sure Twilight and her friends never expected they would end doing something as great as stop somepony as powerful as Nightmare Moon. Let alone do the things they did."

"Unless you asked Rainbow Dash," says Firecracker with a shrug. "I never heard so much boasting before in my life until she showed up."

"Ya almost seem ta sound jealous," says Apricotta to Firecracker with a chuckle. "You maybe want ta be fighting some kind of evil or something?"

"N-No, I just get annoyed when others say how much better they are to most other ponies," says Firecracker as she flies up next to Apricotta annoyed. "When I say I can do something, it's because I know I can."

"And how's that not boasting?"

"How?" asks Firecracker, surprised at the foreign pony in shock. "I don't make claims on things I can and can't do, I prove them."

"Ugh, it's like watching two fillies fighting," groans Velvet Breeze. "Aurora, as much as things with the Prime Minister have become, is all this really worth it?"

"You saw what he's turned Neighpon into, Velvet," says Aurora turning to the red mare. "I don't believe he has its best interests in mind as much as he says."

"Still, Twilight's friends did trash a sizeable amount of Neighpon you have to admit that."

"B-But it was an accident," speaks up Mint Tulip, surprising the others. "Fluttershy w-wanted to see some animals, and I… I screwed up. T-That's why the nues attacked."

"Yeah, it kind of sort of wasn't Rainbow Dash's fault either," says Firecracker embarrassed. "I kinda challenged her and riled her up just as much as she did to me, and we got carried away."

"I suppose then I'm equally at fault for things then as well," says Velvet Breeze with a sigh. "After all, I did want to see designs from Rarity and what they wear outside of Neighpon. I just didn't think it would create such a frenzy as it did."

"Regardless of things now, Twilight and her friends have been falsely made to look like something they're not," says Aurora as she glances back at Spike. "This prejudice towards them due to a legend is not fair."

"Oh, crap, that reminds me," speaks up Firecracker as she remembers something. "Aurora, we were trying to tell you and Twilight earlier about this!"

"About what?"

"Yonaguni! We saw him after everypony left while you guys were in that cave! His eyes, they were all glowing and he was all gloating about some kind of powers through hate thing, and how he-"

"Slow down, slow down! What are you trying to say, Firecracker?"

"You were right about Yonaguni, that's what! He isn't a normal pony!"

"I coulda figured that with him having a ninja army," scoffs Apricotta.

"No! He's got some kind of creepy powers or something! He turned into some kind of black mist as he left when we were watching even!"

"Black mist!" gasps Aurora in horror as she recalls something. "No…then it's truly happened."

"Uh, what happened?" asks Apricotta as the Neighpon ponies stop to look at the ex-princess.

"The prophecy," says Aurora. "When foreigners once again set foot in Neighpon, they would cause the destruction of Neighpon, and then the demon lord would be freed once again to spread his chaos across the world. Tirak…is loose."

"Uh, yeah, we heard that part, but we still ain't seen a demon around, Aurora."

"What if he was just hidden, Apricotta?"

"Say what?"

"What if he took on an appearance to disguise himself?"

"Wait, wait, wait! Are you sayin'?"

"…We have to get to Twilight and her friends now!" says Aurora as she quickly runs down the trail past the others.

"H-Hey! Wait fer us!" yells out Apricotta as she follows.

"I-I don't want to be left alone in the dark!" squeals Mint Tulip in fright as she too follows.

"Woo-hoo! A race!" says Cinnamon Swirl as she too, then takes off.

Velvet Breeze and Firecracker just look on briefly at the other ponies running off, then each other.

"So you still feel like coming along on this?" asks Firecracker curiously.

"As much as it worries me how this will all end up, I somehow feel I should," says Velvet Breeze with a sigh. "I don't know why, but it just feels like this is right."

"Weird, I kind of feel that way, too."

With that, the two ponies take off after the others just as some of the palace guards fly by looking for them, narrowly missing spotting them by sheer seconds.

Not to far down the river from where the Neighpon ponies with Spike washed ashore, Twilight Sparkle and her friends move on down a similar dirt trail with a similar mission in mind, finding the other ponies.

"We're lost aren't we?" asks Rarity with a groan as she walks along with Twilight and her friends. "We're lost out the middle of a land we have no idea of where we are, pursued by guards and ninjas alike, and for what?"

"Rarity, ah swear if ya'd just quit yer whining for just one moment," says Applejack, turning to the white mare annoyed.

"This isn't whining," says Rarity aghast at Applejack's accusation. "If you want whining…"

"No, no! Ah'm good."

"So anyway," says Rainbow Dash as she hovers alongside Twilight as they move on. "Firecracker and I were racing, and then we got back to the restaurant to meet up with guys, and then-"

"Rainbow Dash, is there a point to this story?" asks Twilight with a raised eyebrow. "We have to find the others before those guards or possibly Yonaguni's ninja ponies do."

"Uh…duh. Of course, there's a point. I'm getting to that. Anyway, we were coming back and we saw that the Neighpon ponies burnt the place down and Firecracker was all like 'Oh no, our friends', but I was all 'They're fine', and then-"

"Rainbow Dash, could ya maybe just say whatcha need ta say rather then spoutin' off a lot of hooey?" asks Applejack. "We ain't got all night."

"Right, right, it's about that Yonaguni pony," says Rainbow Dash continuing. "We watched as the other ponies left and then he was all talking some weird stuff about 'powers growing', and had glowing eyes, and turned into some weird dark mist even-"

"What?" asks Twilight surprised. "Are you kidding, Rainbow Dash?"

"Why would I kid about something like this?"

"Didn't Aurora say something about Yonaguni wasn't normal?" asks Fluttershy curiously.

"She did, Fluttershy," says Twilight as she ponders this. "I wonder…"

"Ya think Yonaguni's part of that there prophecy thing Aurora mentioned?" asks Applejack. "Ain't natural fer a pony to have glowing eyes and turn into a mist like Rainbow Dash here is sayin' unless there's something weird going on."

"It isn't natural for any pony to have those things," says Twilight. "I have a real bad feeling about all of this."

"I thought you were feeling really positive about things, Twilight," says Pinkie Pie as she hops up next to the purple unicorn. "You said if we got that thingie Princess Celestia had us bring back we'd fix things up all hunky-dory."

"I never said it would fix things, Pinkie Pie. Just that we need to try and get it back."

"Okay, say we get it back," says Rainbow Dash as she flies up next to Twilight. "What then?"

"I… I don't know just yet," says Twilight worried. "We were trying to come up with a plan when that mob showed up at the restaurant."

"Ah wonder what coulda possibly gave away our location," says Applejack sarcastically towards Rainbow Dash.

"Hey. Don't blame this on me," says Rainbow Dash defensively. "I didn't lead them there."

"No? You and that Firecracker gal went out flying. Somepony musta saw ya coming from the Sweet Tea Jamboree and told the town."

"Ugh, well, it wasn't like they probably wouldn't have found where we were hiding eventually anyway." says Rainbow Dash as she crosses her arms and turns away from th other ponies. "Some trip this has been…"

The ponies then arrive at what appears to be an abandoned farm at the end of the trail, it obviously has seen better days as much of the fenced off gate to the farm is falling apart or badly in need of repair. There are many trees about the land that look to be fruit bearing, though no fruit is on them. A farmhouse sits off in the distance next to some mountains.

"Ya think maybe the other ponies mighta came here, Twilight?" asks Applejack as she looks around cautiously.

"Ugh, I should hope not," says Rarity as she lifts a hoof up in disgust. "This place looks like it hasn't seen any work on it in quite some time."

"We should keep moving," says Twilight as she looks to the sky. "So long as it's night out we have a better chance of not being spotted by guards looking for us."

"Twilight, wait a second," says Applejack as she approaches a ruined sign next to the gate and reads it. "'Apricot Acres'! This here was my Aunt and Uncle's farm!"

"Oh, looks like it fell on hard times," observes Pinkie Pie as she taps the fence, only to have in crumble to pieces afterwards.

"Ah have to look, Twilight," says Applejack pleadingly. "Please. Just a quick look around."

Twilight sighs. She knows they should keep moving, but at the same time knows her friends are tired. She's tired. It's been a long day with many stressful things happening.

Yet, Aurora and the other ponies are still out there. Spike was still out there. She didn't want to stop searching for them, but where would they look? Would they be able to even find them?

She turns to her friends and looks at them concerned. They've been thru quite a lot of things together in the short time they've known each other. This situation though was beginning to make the whole incident with Nightmare Moon feel tame in comparison. She finally decides…

"Alright, Applejack, we can look, but we shouldn't be here for too long. Who knows when we'll be found again."

"Ah, Thank ya, Twilight," says Applejack relieved. "Ah promise it won't take long at all."

Applejack then gallops over towards the farmhouse, the other ponies staying by Twilight's side briefly.

"You sure about this?" asks Rainbow Dash.

"No, but maybe with this being Applejack's cousin's farm, her cousin and the others might head here, too," says Twilight as she motions towards the farmhouse. "Let's at least take a quick rest."

"In there?" asks Rarity towards the farmhouse frightfully. "Certainly not."

"Well, you can always stay out here in the dark by yourself then," says Rainbow Dash teasingly. "I'm sure the animals out here will love your company."

As Rainbow Dash says this, an owl hoots and scares the already on edge Rarity, causing her to jump up shrieking and running towards the farmhouse, leaving the other ponies stunned for a moment before turning to Rainbow Dash whom simply chuckles and shrugs. The ponies then make their way to the farmhouse as well…

Velvet Breeze suddenly jumps in fright, leaping into Cinnamon Swirl's arms nearby, looking around for signs of something.

"Did you hear that?" she asks nervously.

"Hear what?" asks Apricotta. "Ah don't hear a thing."

"Neither do I, Velvet," says Aurora as she turns to the red unicorn.

"How could you not?" asks Velvet annoyed as she has Cinnamon Swirl let her down. "A lady shouldn't be out here at this time of night, let alone out here with who knows what."

"I-It's just the animals that are a-awake at night," says Mint Tulip. "They're n-not harmful."

"What about those nues you encountered earlier?" asks Velvet unimpressed by the scared pony's words. "They seemed to want to harm you and the yellow pegasus you were with."

"F-Fluttershy…"

"Yes, that's her name. So if the little woodland creatures are so harmless around here…"

"Ya lived here all your life haven't ya?" asks Apricotta in an effort to help Mint Tulip with Velvet Breeze.

"Of course," says Velvet proudly. "However, I have never needed to travel so far out of town before given my specialty is making outfits for ponies."

"Well, ah'll let you in on something. Ah've lived out around these parts and while there's a lot of different animals out here. They generally don't mean no harm. Out here... Ya just have to be willin' ta let go of yerself and take it all in."

"Rainbow Dash told me something like that," says Aurora in surprise.

"What fer, Aurora?"

"W-Well… I asked her and Firecracker to help me to fly."

"Oh, uh, yeah," speaks Firecracker as she tries to shy away from the conversation. "Y-Yeah, that…"

"You two didn't help her, did you?" observes Velvet. "So like a pegasus…"

"What?" snaps Firecracker in surprise. "It's not like that. We didn't help because… Well, because neither of us would be good teachers on that. It's just something you kind of pick up on over time and with practice. Really."

"I see," says Velvet unimpressed. "So you leave the princess to try on her own? You couldn't at least try?"

"Well, we could have I guess…," says Firecracker somberly as she turns to Aurora. "Sorry, Aurora…"

"No, I should apologize," says Aurora as she shakes her head. "I put you and Rainbow Dash on the pot asking you to do something you were unsure you could do."

"Yay! Everyone is feeling sorry for themselves!" chimes in Cinnamon Swirl. "Group hug!"

Before any of the Neighpon ponies and Spike can object, Cinnamon Swirl has wrapped her arms somehow completely around all of them, using her horn's magical power to bring the timid Mint Tulip in as well.

"C-Cinnamon!" says Aurora as she struggles to break free from being crushed. "We appreciate the gesture, but…"

"Surprising she is so full of joy after everything that's happened," adds Velvet as equally strained.

"If we let the little things get to us then we'll become controlled by them, silly," says Cinnamon with a giggle. "Friendships cannot be replaced once broken unlike a home, a toy, or a recipe for a new treat."

"Her words seem somehow…logical," says Velvet in surprise.

"Um, guys," speaks up Spike, crushed right between Cinnamon Swirl and the others. "We are still looking for Twilight and the others, right?"

"Oh, right," says Cinnamon Swirl surprised as she drops everyone like sacks of potatoes, hitting the ground with one loud 'thud'. "Now where could they have gotten off to?"

"Maybe they got to my family's farm," says Apricotta as she picks herself up off the ground. "It's not far from here."

"It's possible," adds Aurora, brushing off her behind. "If anything it's a good place to start."

"Then what are we waiting for?" asks Firecracker confidently. "Let's go!"

Spike jumps back onto Aurora's back and she and Firecracker start to head off while Velvet Breeze looks on in disbelief.

"Seriously? More walking?" she moans before she is suddenly pushed from behind.

"Come on now, it's not that far," says Apricotta. "We'll be there lickety-split."

"Is that a dessert back where you come from, Apricotta?" asks Cinnamon Swirl curiously, as she hops along.

Mint Tulip then looks around briefly in the darkness and then up at the moon shining in the night sky. She's scared of being out in the dark so late at night, but at the same time, she finds herself scared to be alone. Normally, the animals of the forest keep her company, but tonight feels different. She longs for the company of the other ponies. Somehow, it feels right.

Suddenly, something starts to cover the moonlit sky above her, startling her. She looks up to see a creepy dark mist enveloping things. It is unnatural as it moves slowly along. An almost eerie laughter emits from with in it.

"G-g-g-g-g-uys!" shrieks Mint Tulip as she then runs towards the others just as the dark mist envelops where she once stood.

The creak of the farmhouse front door does little to soothe Twilight and her friends' nerves as they prepare to enter. The building has obviously seen better days, looking as though it was ransacked by a few different groups, leaving only the pieces of furniture and other decorations too heavy or much work to take.

"How long has it been since Uncle and Aunt Apricot were kidnapped?" asks Applejack surprised as she looks around what used to be the living room, finding a photo of her relatives on a nearby counter.

"This place is simply dreadful," says Rarity aghast at the site. "It needs a total remodel for it to ever look even remotely descent again."

"Well, it doesn't look like Aurora and the others are here yet," says Twilight as she and the other ponies continue to look around. "Still, for now we should take a rest."

"I'm up for that," says Rainbow Dash as she floats over to a couch and settles in.

"Why would you be up if you're going down, silly?" asks Pinkie Pie suddenly from out under the couch pillows, scaring Rainbow Dash and causing her to jump up to the ceiling and clutching a lamppost.

"P-Pinkie Pie!" snaps Rainbow Dash annoyed before she notices a cracking noise and looks up to see the lamp break off the ceiling and she goes crashing down the floor along with it.

The ponies all cough from the kick up of dust from the impact, Twilight waves it away with her hoof when she notices where the lamppost and Rainbow Dash had crashed, is now an opening in the living room floor.

"Girls, look!" says Twilight as she points at the opening.

"What in tarnation?" asks Applejack surprised. "Another secret door? Ah swear, what is up with this place and secret doors?"

"Do you think we should take a look, Twilight?" asks Fluttershy in an unsure tone. "It looks awfully dark down there."

"It also might give us some more answers to everything," says Twilight sternly. "One thing being perhaps why Yonaguni wanted this land from Applejack's family."

Twilight then causes her unicorn horn to glow to create light and she jumps down the hole, the others reluctantly following.

Upon landing, Twilight and her friends finds themselves in what appears to be a tomb, Rainbow Dash nearby rubbing her backside in pain.

"Are you okay, Rainbow?" asks Twilight as she approaches.

"Y-Yeah, nothing I can't handle," says Rainbow Dash before she looks around at things thanks to Twilight's light. "Whoa… Did I just say nothing?"

The ponies begin to walk further into the tomb, finding many stone columns with writing set up about the ground.

"Ya ever get the feeling we shouldn't be here?" asks Applejack concerned.

"I've had that feeling ever since we got here," scoffs Rainbow Dash. "They should change this whole land's name to 'Unwelcome'."

"No, Applejack's right," says Twilight motioning to the stone columns. "Something about this place in particular… It feels like this was a place to keep ponies out."

"Or ta keep somethin' in," adds Applejack.

"Tirak," suddenly speaks up Fluttershy, surprising the others.

"What was that, Fluttershy?" asks Twilight surprised.

"This place to keep the demon lord Tirak sealed away."

"How do you know that, Fluttershy?" asks Rarity curiously. "I mean yes, the whole place screams 'evil', but to say it's actually where this demon we've heard came from…"

"But it says so right on that big statue there," says Fluttershy pointing upwards at a large imposing statue where a plague and busted urn sits underneath.

The ponies gasp as they look at the statue before them briefly. A large hideous looking being somehow with the lower body of a horse and yet the upper body of something else they are unfamiliar with. It seems to have appendages sticking out of what might be it's neck, but then it has a smaller neck just above that with head attached.

"Is that…really Tirak?" asks Twilight to herself in disbelief.

"I'd sure hate to be caught between a wall and him," says Applejack.

"Funny you should say that," says a voice from behind the ponies, startling them.

The ponies turn to see Yonaguni standing behind them in the tomb entrance with several guards.

"It's that Yonaguni jerk!" says Rainbow Dash.

"No, it's not," says Twilight worried.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"This is where Princesses Celestia and Luna sealed you away, isn't it, Tirak?"

"What?" gasps the others at Twilight, then look to Yonaguni.

"Clever girl," chuckles Yonaguni. "I suppose I should not have expected anything less from Princess Celestia's 'prize pupil', should I?"

"It had to be you," says Twilight angered. "What Aurora said about the prophecy, your convenient timing showing up to 'help' the Emperor, not to mention what Rainbow Dash told us about seeing you doing strange things no ordinary pony could do. Then finding this tomb…"

"Ah, yes, this tomb," says Yonaguni. "This tomb that had kept me imprisoned for so many centuries. It was nice of the foreign ponies that came to live here to release me."

"What?" gasps Applejack in shock. "My family let you out!"

"Not on purpose mind you, but I believe the pony with the little cone hat on would be able to explain things best."

"A-Apricotta, let Tirak loose? It can't be…"

"So what are you really planning, Tirak?" asks Twilight annoyed. "Or should I still call you Yonaguni? Obviously you aren't planning simply to close off Neighpon and expel all foreigners."

"It does not matter what you call me, Pupil of Celestia," chuckles Yonaguni. "Thanks to your friends' destruction of most of Neighpon, I have enough hatred, sorrow, and anguish among the populace to bring my real plan to fruition."

"Which is?"

"Oh, you are such a curious little mare, aren't you? Surely, you can guess already can't you?"

"Spreading the power of darkness over all of Equestria."

"Of course, and to do that, I need help as any great and powerful demon would. I need minions to help do my bidding of course. Do you know how that is done?"

"Oh! You put out job applications, right?" asks Pinkie Pie cheerfully as the other ponies shake their heads.

"I create them using the very corruption in ponies!" says Yonaguni as he motions to the guards behind him. "The very darkness in their hearts. All ponies have some part of them that is easily manipulated and can be twisted as I so desire, turning them to into more demons for my army to march over all of Equestria and fulfill my plans."

"What'd ya do to my Aunt and Uncle!" snaps Applejack as Fluttershy and Rarity try to hold her back suddenly.

"Ah, yes, the apricot farmers," chuckles Yonaguni. "They've become quite useful to me actually."

"WHERE ARE THEY?"

"Perhaps you should worry about yourself and your friends' first, little pony," laughs Yonaguni as he steps forth and an eerie glow surrounds him and the guards.

The ponies back away in fright as Yonaguni suddenly transformers into a massive being just like the statue behind them, but wearing armor similar to the guards with a much more frightening look. A pair of red glowing eyes emerge from behind a demonic mask with a helmet with a huge crest across it resembling a bull's horns.

The guards then transform as well, turning into deformed looking creatures standing atop two feet, still wearing the armor they did as ponies, though now also becoming much more warped and twisted. They make grunts and groans as they shuffle back around Yonaguni, now Tirak, ready to do his bidding.

"Y-You don't scare us," says Twilight, aiming her glowing horn at Tirak. "I see now the real reason why we were sent here by the Princess, and it obviously was to stop you, just like we did Nightmare Moon!"

"Nightmare Moon!" laughs Tirak. "Please, that mare was small-time compared to me, wanting simply to keep the night going forever. As you already heard, my plans are much, much more productive."

"He…knows about Nightmare Moon?" gasps Rarity in shock.

"Who do you think help give Princess Luna that hint of jealousy against her sister? What could have corrupted her thoughts so? All it takes is one hint of jealousy, one hint of anger, and a pony no matter how powerful, can be twisted by it, turned against even their most loved ones."

Tirak then paces back and forth a bit thinking on things amusingly.

"I had been sealed by both Princesses, but my mark was left on the poor little Princess Luna… A shame she was unable to complete her plans as obviously Princess Celestia proved herself to be stronger than I had thought. And then there's _you_ ponies."

"We stopped her," says Twilight as Tirak nods.

"Yes, I knew the Princess would have something in mind just for that, and I know she believes she has something in mind here as well. She is quite sharp of mind with these things."

"Of course she is," says Twilight proudly. "And that's why we will stop you."

"With what? Your Elements of Harmony?" scoffs Tirak. "You think what worked on Nightmare Moon would do the same to me?"

"The prophecy of the 'Rainbow of Light', Tirak," says Twilight with a smile. "It has something to do with what we brought to Neighpon, isn't it? You're afraid of it, so you had it switched on us back at the palace. That _is _why, isn't it?"

Tirak looks at the purple unicorn irritated. She reminds him so much of Princess Celestia. How smug she was when she bested him, and yet here was a lowly unicorn actually trying to be the same way, this unicorn that the Princess took in and trained as a star pupil. How ironic it would be if he could twist her mind against her beloved Princess and send her to deal with her, but then he tried that with her own sister and that failed.

"I have decided something," says Tirak as he motions to his minions, whom suddenly head for the entrance to the tomb and leap out. "Since you seem to love studying the past so much, you can join it."

"What?" asks Twilight in shock as Tirak suddenly turns into black mist and quickly flies up and out of the tomb before the ponies can react.

The entryway is suddenly blown up as rock comes tumbling down into the tomb, sealing the ponies in. As it does, the entire farmhouse outside then collapses downward atop of things as well.

As the dust clears, Tirak steps forth and looks down at the grave he has created for Twilight and her friends and then to the sky as the black mist continues to envelop the land overhead. He laughs and raises his arms.

"The hour of darkness is at hand, my minions. It is time to change this wretched land into something far more appropriate…"

Tirak's hands then glow red and the black mist begins to gather around him and the minions and then shoots outward. Turning all the land dark, trees wither under the mist, building fall apart, water turns black, and the sky gray.

The mist then approaches Neighpon Palace and swirls around the palace transforming it from its once beautiful unique spender to a twisted tall black tower of spikes and columns, several large dragon-like creatures suddenly appear and swirl around the base.

"With all of Neighpon's ponies soon to be bent to my whim, Princess Celestia's ponies dealt with, and my Chariot of Darkness nearly ready to ride, there will be nothing the Princess or any pony can do to stop me from spreading darkness forever across all of Equestria! Now, onward to my Castle of Darkness!"

Tirak laughs again, then transforms into mist along with his minions, and flies off towards his newly formed castle in the distance, the fates of Twilight and her friends as well as Aurora and the others, unknown…

To Be Continued…


End file.
